
LEAGUE DEBUT: The JJ Kavanagh All County Hurling League tie played in atrocious weather conditions on Saturday week in Windgap was a well contested affair between old rivals Kilmacow and Windgap. Having seen the visitors open the scoring, the sides were tied at 0-2 before with Cian Ryan and Tommy Lonergan with two points in a row and another brace after a Kilmacow reply saw them lead 0-6 to 0-4 at the break. On the resumption the wind and rain assisted visitors reduced the lead before Cian Ryan with his sixth pointed free had his side 0-7 to 0-4 ahead. Six minutes into the new half the games turning point arrived when Johnny Hayes gave James Murray no chance in the Windgap goal to tie the sides 0-7 to 1-4. Almost immediately a similar opportunity for Windgaps Peter Hennessey drew a good save before Windgap went back a point ahead. After the sides were again tied Kilmacow took the lead for the second time in the game after a fifty minute break. The visitors then added another to extend it to two points for the first time. After another Windgap reply a single point separated the sides with five minutes. In the end a stronger finishing Kilmacow side added two late points to see them take the points on a 1-10 to 0-10 scoreline. An even steven game played in the right spirit both sides showed good fitness and promise for the year ahead. The young Windgap side were led by the fullback line of Sean Foley, Darragh O'Shea and Peter Landy were well assisted up front by Cian Ryan. The team was James Murray, Peter Landy, Sean Foley, Darragh O'Shea, William Phelan, Conor Lonergan, Emmet Landy, Thomas Fleming, Cian Ryan, Tommy Lonergan, Phillip Lonergan, Paraic Walsh, Matthew Enright, Eoin Cody, Substitutes Gerard Purcell, Gary Lyons, and Daniel Cashin. Scorers Cian Ryan Ryan (0-8, 0-7 frees) Thomas and Phillip Lonergan (0-1) each. Kilmacow Richie McNamara (0-6, 0-5 frees) Johnny Hayes (1-1), Dylan Cooke, Luke Harney (0-1) each. The game was refereed by Willie Kearney.
NEW BEGINING: The game saw a new set of mentors looking after the clubs premier side with trainer Pat Walsh being assisted by former full back Eamon Murray, club secretary Noel Power and Kieran Purcell. For those unable to attend the scores were tweeted live from the game by Julie Walsh and could be followed live on the parish website windgap.ie On the day former players PJ Barron and Laurence Doyle manned the umpires posts and Treasurer Eamon Doyle done the gate in the poor conditions as the spectators welcome the protection from the rain provided by the porch along the length of the club rooms. The side make their championship debut when they play neighbours John Lockes in the newly appointed John Lockes facilities at 6pm on Saturday evening. The game is one of featured games in the new JJ Kavanagh and Sons Junior Team of the Year competition that includes, pitch presentation, programmes, scoreboard and discipline as part of the scoring scheme.
FULL IRISH: A full Irish breakfast in aid of Community Projects and the provision of tables for the Community Centre takes place in Windgap Community Centre from 9.30 to 11.30am on Easter Sunday. Tickets are on sale throughout the parish and will also be available after Masses on Sunday next. Tickets cost €10 for adults and €3 for juveniles. A meeting to finalise the details will take place in the GAA Club on Tuesday evening at 8pm. All interested in assisting in any way are invited to attend.
CLUB NEWS: The Windgap Junior B side who went down to a late John Lockes Rally in Windgap on Saturday was Paul McKenna, Darren Walsh, Shane Walsh, Pa Moore, Edward Cunningham, Darragh O'Shea, Adrian Landy, Emmett Landy, Peter Hennessey, Gary Lyons, Michael Power, Daniel Cashin, Vincent Purcell, Pauric Walsh, Paul Comerford. Subs James Murray, Brendan Power, Josh Price. Ahead 1-5 to 0-4 at the break they eventually had to give way to a Callan side that put in a fine performance as they hurled into the breeze and away from the Callan end goal in the second half. In the All County Junior Hurling league tie against Dicksboro on Sunday the side was 0-10 to 0-5 down at half time before a second half rally saw the side come within two points at the final whistle. Suffering from a number of early season injuries, reserve support for the side was provided by substitutes Pa Moore and Daniel Cashin.
This Weeks Winning Lotto Numbers were 6, 21, 23, 27 and Bonus number 4. This Weeks Prize fund, €7,400.00.
MORE ROBBERIES: The past week saw more breaking and entering in the endless list of such activities in the area with farm quads being the most recent target. The Tidy Towns community group in Tullahought also suffered a setback when the unique oval style village nameplate was taken from the pillars at the "Túr Amharc" viewing Tower. Designed and supplied by the community, knowledge of its whereabouts would be greatly appreciated by any committee member.
CROKE CUP WIN: In the All Ireland Senior Colleges final club player Niall Walsh was part of the victorious St. Kieran’s College panel who defeated the Leinster Champions Kilkenny CBS in the first ever All Kilkenny Colleges final in Nowlan Park on Saturday. The win brought the question of who was the last clubman to win a Croke Cup medal!
GALMOY WINDGAP: The combined outfit make their 2014 debut at under sixteen level when they had a good win over John Lockes in Windgap on Friday evening. The side play fellow combination side St. Fiacres in Tom Walsh park on Friday evening at 6pm
LADIES BOXING: In the triangular Round Robin with Germany and Russia in Germany over the weekend local Irish senior champion Clare Grace won a silver medal with the Irish Elite Ireland’s women’s boxers. With three bouts over three days Clare went down to Nadine Apetz of the host nation after a great battle in the 69 kg class in Wittenberg, Hamburg. In the second bout Clare recorded a win over Carlota Hansen of Germany. Clare took to the ring for the third time in three days on Sunday when she out boxed against a Russian girl Saadat Abdulayeva. Part of a seven strong Irish Squad the medal winners were Michaela Walsh (gold), Joanna Lambe (silver), Clare Grace (silver) and Alanna Audley -Murphy (bronze)
BEAT FM SPORTS STAR! Local international boxing Star Clare Grace is one of the nominees for the Beat FM -March South-East Sports Star Award where the full list is Shane Kavanagh (Carlow), Paul Breen (Tipperary), Joe Gough (Waterford), Daryl Jacob (Wexford) and Clare Grace (Kilkenny), The event is run by Beat 102-103 in conjunction with Mount Wolseley Hotel Carlow. To vote, visit www.beat102103 and follow the links.
DAN PHELAN: The recollections one of the co founders of Windgap Hurling Club were recalled when Barry Henriques highlighted Dan Phelan’s story in a recent edition. Hale and hearty and living in Birchwood Dan has added Bingo to his list of interests. Nowadays he regularly takes his position near the ball stop nets at the school end of the local pitch. Complete with pen and piece of paper, he is still the “go to” man when a clarification of the exact score is required. His match position over sixty years after the club was founded is just a couple of hundred yards away from the spot in the lee of Shea’s public house where he was so involved in the founding of the club. The complete story is to be found in the Kilkenny People of a fortnight ago or on windgap.ie
MOUSE NIGHT: A crowd estimated around three hundred from around the parish and from neighbouring communities, enjoyed a great night of festivities, resulting in a tremendous profit on the night of just over €12,000. The profits on the night will go towards Windgap community projects, with the playground likely to be first off the mark in terms of funding. The major prize on the night went to Eileen Hawe, with runners up Marie Landy and Sadie Bacon. The committee would like to thank the public for their tremendous generosity. They would also like to thank the volunteers involved in advance sales and for their work on the night, as well as sponsors and suppliers. Note compliments of Noel Smith.
EASTER WEEK: Ceremonies in the parish will take place on Palm Sunday with Mass in Tullahought at 9.00 a.m and Windgap at 9.45 a.m. They continue on Holy Thursday in Windgap at 7.00 p.m. On Good Friday the ceremonies are in Windgap at 2.00 p.m and Tullahought at 8.00 p.m. The Sacrament of Reconciliation will be celebrated during the ceremonies; The vigil on Holy Saturday takes place in Windgap at 7.45 p.m.
BRIDGE RESULTS: Winners at the bridge game held in the Olde House in Killamery were 1st. Helen Lanigan, Catherine Burke. Best Gross Peggy Vaughan, Gracey Landy 2nd Rita Townsend, Stella Tenneyson. 3rd. Sarah Crowley, Elizabeth Lanigan. 4th Josie O'Gorman, Mary Lonergan.
TIDY TOWNS: The annual tidy up of the roads in the area takes place on Saturday morning next at 10.30am and all residents and landowners are invited to give a hand. Committee members planted new trees in Tullahought during the past week. Elsewhere the Kilmacoliver Loop one of the most popular of the Kilkenny walking trails has been closed.
CAMOGIE: An early morning start saw Senior Camogie training take place in Tullahought on Sunday morning with the girls drills and play weaving a trail of tracks in the heavily dewed grass. The side received a walk over from St. Lachtains in the first game of the season.
GOLF LESSONS: A Series of Beginners golf lessons commencing in Callan Golf Club on Saturday 19th April. For further details and registration Contact Margaret during office hours Monday to Friday on 056 7725136
NOTES: Contributors and Clubs are invited to email items for publication with a name and contact number to windgapnotes@gmail.com by Sunday evenings at 6pm. For all the local news visit the parish website windgap.ie